Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1887-01-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our Regular Correspondent,

The burden of conversation at
the Capitol since adjournment,
has been the appointment of the
House Committees. The Speak
er's room is literally thronged
from morning till night by mem
bers who are urging their own
interest or that of a friend. To
complicate affairs, it is said that
the President is assuming to
dictate to the Speaker certain
appointments that the Speaker
don't want, and that several
members are quite wroth because
their merits are not more readily
recognized. All these things are
sad comment on American pol
itics, and ought to disgust the
people to that extent that they
will see to It that the next House
is Republican. There is no ques-
ton that the important committee
are being most shamefully packed
in certain interests. and it is
through these committee that
Legislation must come, if we have
any regarding the great issues.
AS an illustration, the control of
the Ways and Means Committees,
the most important at this time is
given to the non-manufacturing
South, while the bee hive of ali
New England is only given one
number, and the great manuffact-
uring States of New Jersey with
its millions invested, is left with
out representative on the
Committee. This is only one of
many instances showing how des-
perate the democracy are in play
ing their lost game.
Ex-Speaker Randall, of Penn
sylvannia, will be appointed
chairman of the Appropriation
Committee, though neither the
President or Speaker want him in
that position, but he carries too
many guns to be ignored. and is
bent upon having it, and will get
it. Judge Holman, of Indiana,
who has served many years on
that Committee, is to be dropped,
and will be made chairman of
Public Lands, which change does
not suit him. General Wheeler,
Of Alabama, who was the chief
Confederate Cavalry leader, wants
to be chairman of Military
But Dick Townsend of
Illinois, is booked for the place,
and Wheeler is mad.
General Herbert, of Alabama,
who was another Confederate
leader, is to be chairman of Naval
affairs. Culbertson, of Texas,
pl eminent in lhe Confederacy, is
to be chairman of the Judiciary,
and Dibble of South Carolina,
another prominent Confederate,
has the committee on Public
and Grounds.
The Invalid Pensions Com
mittee was made unusually
prominent IN the last Congress, by
the President vetoing 130 bills
that that Committee reported and
passed. Col. Matson, of Indiana,
was chairman, and was successful
in passing a few bills over the
veto. For that, the President
demands a new chairman, but
whether such petty vengeance will
succeed or not, is matter of doubt
up to this writing.
The President sent to the Pope
as Christmas present, a beauti-
ful engraved copy of the q. S.
Constitution, richly bound in
book form. The book rests in a
gorgeous case of Tyrian purple,
and doubtless will be highly
orized by the Pope.
The report of the Geological
Survey just published, shows that
he production of minerals in the
United States, reached last year
he enormous value of S465, 100000,
he largest yet recorded in any
country, and about S45,000,000,
greater than the year previous.
1t is asserted this morning on
,ood authority that on the re-
assembling if Congress the Pres
dent will send in a special mes
age, recommending the repeal of
he tobacco tax. Such an act will
educe the revenue about $4,000
700, and will not be seriously an